Latest news with #FortSmith-based
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge rules City of Fort Smith violated Freedom of Information Act following failed hire
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Sebastian County judge has ruled that the City of Fort Smith and its acting city administrator violated the state's Freedom of Information Act. Fort Smith-based attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano filed the lawsuit against the city on May 2 after claiming Fort Smith failed to provide all public records related to the hiring of Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor. Cowan was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors on April 22, but the offer was rescinded after it was revealed she had a pending felony stalking charge. The City of Fort Smith told Talk Business & Politics, 'Human Resources produced the background check and relayed the information to Administration per City protocol.' Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman, in an email to McCutchen, said, 'The background check information was delivered in hard copy. That record no longer exists. The Chief Human Resources Officer does not have a copy of the packet that was delivered. There is no hard copy.' An email from Dingman, not included in the city's FOIA response, was later obtained directly from a board member, according to the lawsuit. This email stated that Dingman 'did not believe a background check was performed.' The lawsuit also alleged the city failed to respond in a timely manner and may have withheld or destroyed public records. Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club awards $64K in 2025-26 college scholarships On June 3, the judge assigned to the lawsuit ruled in favor of McCutchen and Napurano during a hearing. An order, officially filed on June 5, said 'The Defendants' failure to timely respond, thefailure to provide clearly responsive records, the absence of any valid extension or waiver, and the troubling lack of transparency regarding the missing background check' were reasons as to why the city was ruled to have violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. A spokesperson from the City of Fort Smith gave the following statement to KNWA/FOX24 in response to the judge's ruling: 'While the City of Fort Smith provided all relevant documents in response to Mr. McCutchen's FOIA request, we did not meet the three-business-day deadline outlined in the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and missed the deadline by two business days. The City remains committed to operating with transparency and integrity in all public records processes.' The ruling said the city will be responsible for paying attorney fees to McCutchen and Napurano. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
8 Arkansas employers among best in America, according to Forbes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Eight Arkansas companies were ranked among the best in America, according to new reports from Forbes. Forbes' rankings were produced in partnership with Statista, a market research firm. The annual rankings are the product of a survey of employees at U.S. companies that have more than 5,000 workers for the large companies. Those surveyed in the mid-size employers category work at companies with between 1,000 and 5,000 workers. Those surveyed were asked to evaluate their employer based on different criteria, including salaries, mental health benefits, management diversity, working hours, etc. 701 companies made the list of the best large employers and 498 for the mid-size employers. Little Rock-based poultry production company Mountaire Farms was the highest-ranked large employer in Arkansas coming in at 120th. Mountaire Farms employs 10,000 people at facilities in Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Arkansas Children's Hospital, based in Little Rock, was ranked 182nd and employs more than 5,000 people. Fort Smith-based logistics company ArcBest ranked #364 on the list. It employs over 15,000 people and was founded in 1923. Four Arkansas-based companies ranked in new Fortune 500 Arvest Bank, based in Springdale was ranked 494th. Arvest's Chief People Officer Laura Andress said they were honored to be recognized as a top employer for another year. 'Exceptional customer service begins with exceptional associates, and at Arvest, we have the best of the best,' Andress said. 'We are honored to be once again recognized for our unwavering commitment to fostering a positive work environment where our associates feel valued and inspired to be their best every day.' Arvest says they have been featured in six editions of the rankings. Lowell-based J.B. Hunt Transportation Services was the last Arkansas employer to be featured, ranked 636th. Three Arkansas-based companies were included in the mid-size employer rankings, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield at 45th, Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort at 54th and Arkansas Heart Hospital at 221st. For the full rankings of large and mid-size employers, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
